Saturday marks three years since a Northwest soldier was captured by the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl -- now 26 years old -- is the nation’s only soldier known to be in enemy hands.

Bergdahl went missing from his station on the last day of June in 2009. Since then, he’s appeared in a handful of videos released by the Taliban. And according reports from the region, he’s tried, unsuccessfully, to escape his captors.

In his hometown of Hailey, Idaho near Sun Valley, residents continue to put up yellow ribbons in Bergdahl’s honor. Sue Martin owns Zaney’s cafe, where Bergdahl used to work as a barista. She remembers him as a quiet, thoughtful outdoorsman who rode a motorcycle and wanted to see the world.

“He had an agreement with me that he could leave and go on an adventure, travel on his bike, and when he came back, he’d have a job," Martin says. "He still has a job when he comes back! So, we’re hoping that’s very soon.”

The Department of Defense says there are ongoing efforts to locate Bergdahl. The missing soldier’s release was reportedly the subject of now-stalled peace negotiations with the Taliban.

In a newly issued statement, Bergdahl’s parents say they hope this is the year their only son comes home.